Flow control apparatus



Nov. 5, 1963 l' R. A. wHlTLocK VETAL 3,109,454

mow CONTROL APPARATUS Filed May 13, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l for,

117 Iva FLOW CONTROL APPARATUS R. A. wl-uTLocK ETAL Nov. 5, 1963 Filed May 15, 1960 United States Patent "ice 3,109,454 FLOW QGN'IROL APFARATUS Robert A. Whitlock and Thomas W. Johnson, Roc-kiere, Ill., @signers to Aqua Matic lne., Rockford, ill., a cora poration ci illinois Filed May 13, 1950, Ser. No. 28,90% S Claims. (Cl. 137--599.1)

This invention relates to improvements in dow control apparatus and particularly to an improved apparatus for controlling the various flows of fluid to and from a water treatment device.

Various important objects of this invention are to provide a control apparatus for a water treatment device which will reliably control the various llows ot fluid to and from the water treatment device during a complete regeneration cycle; which `is automatic in operation, and which can be easily and economically manufactured.

Another object of this invention is to provide a control apparatus for a water treatment device having an electrically energized heat motor to `oper-ate valve apparatus and which is so `arranged that the flows off VFluid through the valve are effective to cool the heat motor and prevent overheating of the latter.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a ow control apparatus employing a pair of heat motor operated drain valves so arranged that ow to drain from one heat motor is controlled by the other heat motor to thereby prevent ow to drain from more than one drain valve at a time.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a ilow control apparatus for a water treatment device which will elect a conventional cycle of downtiow through the treatment device during service, upflow during backwash, and downliow during brining and slow rinsing of the bed, and which apparatus will also effect a rapid rinse of the bed of exchange material.

The invention also resides Iin the construction of the valve which facilitates assembly and disassembly of the valve.

These, together with various ancillary objects and advantages of this invention will be more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the yfollowing description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE fl is a longitudinal sectional view through a ow control apparatus illustrating the same in its regeneration position;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the plane 2--2 of FIG. l;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the plane 3--3 of FIG. l;

IFIGURE 4 is a transverse sectional lview taken on the plane 4-4 of FIG. l;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the plane 5 5 of FIG. l;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane o--o of FIG. 4 and showing the ejector;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the plane 77 of FIG. 2 and showing the backwash control;

FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view through the control apparatus of FIG. l `and illustrating the same in its backwash position, and

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view through the control apparatus of FIG. 1 illustrating the position ott the valve during the regenerant injection and slow rinse phases of the regenerant cycle.

In general, the ilow control apparatus is arranged to provide a conventional cycle of downfiow during service, upilowrbackwash, and downllow during brining and rinsing of the bed of exchange material, While employing two-position type valves. The flow control apparatus in- 3,109,454 Patented Nov. 5, 1963 2 eludes a casing 101 dening an inlet chamber 102 and spaced top and bottom outlet chambers :103 and 104. An inlet passage 105 (FIG. 5) communicates with the inlet chamber to supply raw water thereto and axially allgned ports 106 and 107 `communicate the inlet chamber with the top and bottom chambers respectively. The upper flow chamber 103 has` an upper outlet passage 10S communicating therewith and connected through a conduit 109 to the top of the treatment tank 11.1. The lower flow passage 104 is connected through a lower outlet passage 113 land a conduit 114 leading to the bottom of the treatment tank. As be noted from FIGS. l, 8 and 9, the lower ow passage has a laterally extending portion 104s and an auxiliary valve port 110 is formed in the casing between the lateral portion 10401 of the lower flow passage and the outlet passage 11'3. A service outlet passage 116 communicates with the lower flow passage 104 and as shown in FIG. 5 extends from the laterally offset portion 10461 to pass lluid to the service line (not shown).

A main valve member 1117 is provided for controlling flow through the upper and lower ports 106 and 107 and has upper and lower valve elements 11% and 1:119 respectively cooperable with the upper and lower ports. The valve member 117 is preferably arranged to permit limited lost motion of the operator after the respective ports have been closed, and as herein shown the valve is ott the sleeve type wherein the valve elements have gaskets 121 and 1122 ion their peripheries adapted to form a sliding seal with the respective ports.

A first drain valve for passing the backwash ow to drain, is provided at the upper end of the casing and, in the embodiment shown, a drain valve body 125 in the form of a sleeve insert is mounted in the upper end of the casing 1011 and forms a part thereof. The drain valve body denes a drain chamber 126 and has a drain outlet port 127 formed therein and arranged for communication with a drain passage 128 in the valve body. An upper drain port 129 communicates the drain chamber with the upper outlet chamber 103 and has a seat therearound. A lirst drain valve member `131 controls flow through the drain port 127 and as shown is in the form of a resilient washer mounted on the upper face of the main valve member 117 for movement therewith. The drain valve member '131 and main valve member 117 are so arranged L that the lower Valve element 119 closes the lower port 107 when the drain valve member 131 is closed, as shown in FIG. l, and the upper element 11S closes the upper port 106 when the drain valve member 4is opened as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

A stem 135 is provided for moving the drain valve and main valve members and the latter are yieldably urged to the position shown in FIG. l by a spring 136 interposed between a flange 137 on the stem and a flange 138 on the drain valve body. A heat motor 139 is mounted on the drain valve body for selectively moving the drain valve member 131 to its open position and the main valve member 117 to a position closing the port 10o and opening port 107, as shown in FIG. 8. The heat motor 139 comprises a base 141 having a guide bore 142 therein for slidably supporting an actuator 140. An expansion chamber including a rigid shell 143 and a resilient body y144 is mounted on the base. The shell has an integral flange 145 spun over the periphery of the base to secure the same together. The resilient body, formed of rubber or the like, is disposed in the shell 143 and spaced from the sides thereof to form an annular compartment therebetween. T hermally expansible material 146 is provided -in'the shell around the resilient body and, when the expe-risible material is heated, it expands and applies pressure on the resilient body to urge the actuator in a direction outwardly of the chamber. A heater 140 is disposed around the shell for selectively heating the expansible material 145 to actuate .the heat motor. In this form, the heat motor is also mounted on the casing means to be cooled thereby and by the liquid flowing through the casing and is preferably recessed as indicated at 149 in the -valve body to increase the heat conduction between the shell and the casing.

An ejector 152 (B1G. 6) is arranged to introduce regenerant into the top of the'treatment tank during the regeneration phase of the regeneration cycle and is conveniently formed on one side of the valve casing. The ejector has an inlet end 153 communicating with the raw water inlet chamber 162 and an outlet passage 154 which communicates with the top chamber 1113. A brine inlet passage 155 is connected through a conduit 156 (JBIG. 1) and regenerant control valve 157 tothe regenerant tank 158. The regenerant control valve may be of any conventional construction such as the 'iioat valve diagrammatically illustrated `and which operates to shut ott the ow to the tank 158 when the liquid reaches a preselected upper level therein, and which shuts off the fiow from the tank when the liquid reaches a preselected lower level. The ejector body is in the form of a plug 161 which is threaded into the boss on the side of the valve casing and has spaced O-rings which seal the plug to the boss at opposite sides of the regenerant inlet passage 155. The ejector body has a -regenerant inlet port 162 therein which communicates with the brine inlet passage 155, and a nozzle 163 ,threaded thereinto and which directs water into the throat 164. Lateral outlet passages 165 communicate the throat with the outlet passage 154.

A second drain valve and an auxiliary valve are provided for controlling the flow of fluid from the bottomed the treatment tank to drain and are operated in conjunction with the main valve 117 and the iirst drain valve 131 to eiect downow of iluid through the treatment tank during the regeneration and rinse phases of the regeneration cycle. The second drain valve and auxiliary valve are mounted in a stepped bore in the casing 161 and which bore includes an enlarged upper section 171 and a reduced diameter lower section 172 each disposed in axial alignment with the auxiliary port 110. The drain valve includes a sleeve body 173 which is inserted in the upper bore section 171 a-nd threadedly attached to the casing 101. The drain valve body defines a drain chamber 174 and has an inwardly extending ange 175 at its lower end forming a drain port 176. The drain chamber 174 communicates through ports 177 in the sleeve body with Va drain passage 178 in the casing for passing luid to drain through the drain outlet 179 (FIG. 3).

A second drain valve member 181 having a resilient sealing face 182 is provided for controlling llow through the drain port 176. A stem 183 is attached to the second drain valve and extends upwardly through the port 176. A third drain valve member 185 is `formed on the upper end of the stern for a purpose to be described hereinafter,

l and a `spring 136 `is interposed between the third drain valve member and the flange 175 to yieldably urge the second drain valve member 181 to a position blocking ow through theport 176. A second heat motor 1138 is provided for opening the drain valve. The second heat motor is constructed the same as is heat motor 139 and includes a base 189 which slidably supports an actuator 191, a rigid shell 192, a resilient body 193 and a thermally expansible material 194 between the shell and the body. The heat motor is mounted in a recess 196 in the upper end of the drain valve body, in heat conducting relation therewith to be cooled by the iiuid iiowing through the valve, and a heater 197 surrounds the shell for selectively heating the same. The actuator 191 is threadedly attached to the upper end of the stem 183 of the ysecond drain valve to open the latter when the heat motor 188 is heated.

An auxiliary valve member 2111 is siidably disposed in the lower section 172 ofthe stepped bore in the casing and has an O-ring 202 ythereon forming a sliding seal therebetween. The auxiliary valve is connected to the second drain valve for movement therewith and is herein shown formed integraliy with the second drain valve. The auxiliary valve has a second I3-ring 203 on its lower end adapted to form a sliding seal with the auxiliary valve port 11% when the second drain valve is open, to block ilow from theV lower tlow passage 1114 to the lower end of the treatment tank, and to also block `iiow from the lower flow passage 1614 to the second drain passage 175. The auxiliary valve also has a passage extending therethrough which includes an axial bore 295 and cross-bore 2116 which permit tlow from the lower conduit 114 and lower outlet passage 113 through the second drain port 176 to drain, when the second drain valve is open.

The third drain valve member 185 4is arranged to cut olf the iiow to drain from the first drain valve, when the second drain valve is opened. As shown in FIG. 3, the first drain passage has a rearwardly extending portion 125g which communicates with the lower end of a vertically extending bore 211 (FIG. 7). As best shown in FIG. 2, a cored passage 2112 in the casing extends laterally of the bore 211 and around the second valve body and ports 213 are formed in the second valve body to communicate the passage 212 with the second drain chamber. A backwash ilow restrictor 215 (FIG. 7) is threaded into the bore 211 and has an axial passage 216 and lateral passages 217 which control the flow of backwash lluid from the passage 128 to the passage 212. The size of the passages 217 are selected to give the desired backwash rate under the pressure conditions in a particular installation and different backwash control elements can be readily inserted for different installations.

The second sleeve body 173 of the second drain valve has a reduced diameter seat 219 formed between the ports 213 and the drain ports -177 and the third drain valve member has an O-ring on its periphery adapted t0 `form a sliding seal with the seat 219, when the second drain valve is opened, to thereby cut orf the iiow to drain from the rst drain valve.Y

The ow control apparatus is also preferably automatically operated as by a timer 221 having `a rst control circuit including conductors 222 and 223 connected to the heater `148 of the rst heat motor, and a second control circuit including conductors 224 and 225 connected to the heater 197 of the second heat motor. The timer is arranged to energize the first circuit and the heater 148 after a time interval corresponding to the normal service cycle. The heater 148, when energized, operates the heat motor l139 to move the upper drain valve 131 to its open position and to move the valve elements 118 and 119 t0 respectively close the upper port 1% and open the lower port 107. This reverses the ow to the treatment tank, the raw water from the inlet ilowing through the lower port 107, lower low passage 113 and conduit 114 to the bottom of the tank. The effluent from` the top ows through conduit 1119 and through the iirst drain port 129, drain passage 128, `backwash ow restrictor 215, passage 212 into the drain chamber of the second drain valve and from thence to drain through drain passage 17 8. After the completion of the backwash phase of the regeneration cycle, the timer energizes the second circuit Iincluding conductors 224 and 225, while maintaining the iirst circuit energized to hold the valve 117 in the position shown in FIG. 8. Heating of the heater J197 on the second heat motor operates the same to open the second drain valve 181 and close the auxiliary port 110, and to also close the port 219. Closing .of the drain seat 219tenr1inates ow to drain from the rst drain valve. This reduces the pressure on the treatment tank so that water ilows through the ejector 152 and draws brine from the tank 158. The mixtune of water and -brine is introduced into the upper chamber 103 of the main valve and flows through the conduit 159 to the treatment tank. The eflluent from the tank flows through the conduit 114, outlet passage 113 through the passages 295 and 206 in the auxiliary valve 201 and through drain port 176 to the drain passage 178. After a preselected quantity of brine has been withdrawn, the fiow control valve 157 terminates the flow of brine to the ejector so that the continued fiow through the ejector produces a slow rinse of the bed of exchange material 112 in the treatment tank. At the completion of the slow rinse phase of the regeneration cycle, the timer 209 deenergizes the heater 148 of the first drain valve and the first drain valve and the main valve 117 return to the position shown in FiG. l. rlihis provides a rapid rinse of the bed in which water from the inlet 105 flows through top passage 108, conduit 109 to the top of the tank 1-11 and the efiiuent from the bottom of the tank ows through conduit 114, and through the passages 205 and 206 in the auxiliary valve to drain. At the completion of the rapid rinse phase of the regeneration cycle, the timer deenergizes the heater 197 of the second drain valve and the second drain valve and the auxiliary valve then return to the position shown in FIG. l. tlf desired, the rapid rinse phase of the regeneration cycle can be omitted, by deenergizing the heater 197 of the second drain valve at the completion of the slow rinse phase of the cycle.

It will thus be noted that the heat motors in the ernbodiment of FlGS. 1 9 are mounted on the casing to be cooled thereby and by the liquid owing through the valve casing. Moreover, the valve elements are arranged to permit overtravel when the latter are heated to prevent the build-up of excess pressures in the Valves.

We claim:

l. A fiow control apparatus comprising, casing means defining an inlet chamber and first and second outlet chambers, an inlet passage communicating with said inlet chamber and first and second outlet passages respectively communicating said first and second outlet chambers, said casing means having axially aligned outlet ports communicating said inlet chamber with said first and second outlet chambers, a two-position main valve member movable from a position blocking flow through one of said outlet ports to a position blocking fiow through the other of said outlet ports, said casing means having a first drain passage and a first drain port between said first outlet chamber and said first drain passage, a first drain valve member controlling flow through said first drain port, said casing means having an auxiliary valve port between said second outlet chamber and said second fiow passage, said casing having a second drain passage and a second drain port between said second flow passage and said second drain passage, a second drain valve member movable from la position blocking liow through said second drain port to an open position, an auxiliary valve member connected to said second valve member for movement therewith to a position blocking ow through said auxiliary port when the second drain valve is open, a first heat motor mounted on said casing means and connected to said first drain valve member for selectively opening the same, and a second heat motor mounted on said casing means and connected to said second drain valve member for opening the same and for moving the auxiliary valve to a position blocking fiow through said auxiliary port.

2. The combination of claim l including means responsive to opening of said second drain valve member for terminating fiow to drain from said first drain passage.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said casing means includes an auxiliary drain inlet passage communicating with said first drain passage and an auxiliary drain port between said auxiliary `drain inlet passage and said second drain passage, and means connected to said second drain valve member for movement therewith between a position opening said auxiliary drain port when said second drain valve member closes said second drain port and a position closing said auxiliary drain port when said second drain valve member opens said second drain port.

4. A flow control apparatus comprising, casing means defining an inlet chamber iand finst and second outlet chambers, an inlet passage communicating with said inlet chamber and rst outlet passage communicating with said rst outlet chamber, said casing means having axially aligned outlet ports communicating said inlet chamber with said first and second outlet chambers, a two-position main valve member movable from a position blocking flow through one of said outlet ports to a position blocking flow through the other of said `outlet ports, said casing means having a first drain passage and a first drain port between said first outlet chamber and said first drain passage and `aligned Ewith said outlet ports, a first drain valve 4member for controlling fiow through said first drain port, said casing means having a second outlet passage and an auxiliary port between said second outlet charnber and said second outlet passage, said casing having a second drain passage and a second drain port between said second outlet chamber and said second drain passage, said second drain port being aligned with said auxiliary port, a second drain valve member for controlling fiow through said second ydrain port, an auxiliary valve member connected to said second drain v-alve member and movable therewith to a position blocking fiow from the second outlet chamber through said auxiiiary port when said second drain valve is open, first and second heat motors mounted on said casing means and connected to said first and second drain valve members, said heat motors each including an actuator, expansion chamber having la rigid shell, a thermally expansible material in the shell, and a resilient body for applying pressure to the actuator to move the same, a heater for each of said heat motors, and means for selectively energizing said heat motors to vactuate said first and second drain valve mem-bers.

5. The combination of claim 4 wherein said auxiliary valve member has means for blocking flow from said second outlet chamber to said second drain chamber when said auxiliary valve is in a position blocking fio-w through said auxiliary port, and passage means extending through said auxiliary valve member for communicating said second outlet passage with said second drain port when said auxiliary valve blocks flow from the second chamber through said auxiliary port.

6. The combination of claim 5 including passage means in said casing communicating said first drain passage with said second drain passage, said casing means defining a valve rseat in said last-mentioned passa-ge means axially aligned with said second drain port, and means connected to said second drain valve member lfor blocking fiow through said seat when said second drain valve is open to thereby prevent iiow to drain from said first drain valve.

7. A fiow control apparatus comprising, casing means defining an inlet chamber and first and second outlet chambers, an inlet passage communicating with said inlet chamber and first outlet passage communicating with said finst `outlet: chamber, said casing means having axially aligned outlet ports communicating said inlet chamber with said first and second outlet chambers, a two-position main valve member movable from, a position blocking flow `through one of said outlet ports to a position blocking How through the other of said outlet ports, said casing means having a first drain passage and a first drain port between said first ou-tlet chamber and said first drain passage and aligned with said outlet ports, a first drain valve member for controlling ii-ow through said first drain port, said second outlet passage having a portion extending llaterally ofthe )axis of said first and second outlet ports, a second outlet passage communicating with said laterally extending portion of the second outlet chamber, means on said casing means defining an auxiliary port between said second outlet chamber and said second outlet port, said auxiliary -portihaving an axis disposed parallel to and laterally oiset from the axis of said rst and second outlet ports, said casing having a bore therein aligned with said auxiliary port and extending from the side of said offset portion of the second outlet chamber opposite said auxiliary port, an auxiliary valve member slidable in said bore to form a seal therewith in all operative positions of .the auxiliary valve member and into and out of a position closing said auxiliary port, said casing means having a second drain passage therein and a second drain port intermediate said second drain passage and said bore, a second drain valve member connected to said auxiliary valve member for movement therewith between a closed position when the auxiliary port is open to an open position when the auxiliary valve member closes the auxiliary port, and passage means extending through said auxiliary valve member for passing uid from the second outlet passage to the second drain passage when .fthe second drain Valve is open and the auxiliary valve port is closed, and first and second means connected to said rst and second drain valve members for selectively operating the same.

8. T he combination of claim 7 including passage means in said casing means communicating said iirst drain passage with said second drain passage, means dening a third Adrain seat in said passage, and a third drain valve member connected to said second drain valve member for movement therewith to a position blocking flow through said third seat when said second drain valve is open to thereby prevent ow from the first drain passage when the second drain port is open.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,994,728 Persons Mair. 19, 1935 2,670,328 Webb Feb. 23, 1954 2,777,662 Hansen Ian. 15, 1957 2,928,233 Kimm Mar. 15, 1960 2,935,092 Stoner May 3, 1960 

1. A FLOW CONTROL APPARATUS COMPRISING, CASING MEANS DEFINING AN INLET CHAMBER AND FIRST AND SECOND OUTLET CHAMBERS, AN INLET PASSAGE COMMUNICATING WITH SAID INLET CHAMBER AND FIRST AND SECOND OUTLET PASSAGES RESPECTIVELY COMMUNICATING WITH SAID FIRST AND SECOND OUTLET CHAMBERS, SAID CASING MEANS HAVING AXIALLY ALIGNED OUTLET PORTS COMMUNICATING SAID INLET CHAMBER WITH SAID FIRST AND SECOND OUTLET CHAMBERS, A TWO-POSITION MAIN VALVE MEMBER MOVABLE FROM A POSITION BLOCKING FLOW THROUGH ONE OF SAID OUTLET PORTS TO A POSITION BLOCKING FLOW THROUGH THE OTHER OF SAID OUTLET PORTS, SAID CASING MEANS HAVING A FIRST DRAIN PASSAGE AND A FIRST DRAIN PORT BETWEEN SAID FIRST OUTLET CHAMBER AND SAID FIRST DRAIN PASSAGE, A FIRST DRAIN VALVE MEMBER CONTROLLING FLOW THROUGH SAID FIRST DRAIN PORT, SAID CASING MEANS HAVING AN AUXILIARY VALVE PORT BETWEEN SAID SECOND OUTLET CHAMBER AND SAID SECOND FLOW PASSAGE, SAID CASING HAVING A SECOND DRAIN PASSAGE AND A SECOND DRAIN PORT BETWEEN SAID SECOND FLOW PASSAGE AND SAID SECOND DRAIN PASSAGE, A SECOND DRAIN VALVE MEMBER MOVABLE FROM A POSITION BLOCKING FLOW THROUGH SAID SECOND DRAIN PORT TO AN OPEN POSITION, AN AUXILIARY VALVE MEMBER CONNECTED TO SAID SECOND VALVE MEMBER FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH TO A POSITION BLOCKING FLOW THROUGH SAID AUXILIARY PORT WHEN THE SECOND DRAIN VALVE IS OPEN, A FIRST HEAT MOTOR MOUNTED ON SAID CASING MEANS AND CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST DRAIN VALVE MEMBER FOR SELECTIVELY OPENING THE SAME, AND A SECOND HEAT MOTOR MOUNTED ON SAID CASING MEANS AND CONNECTED TO SAID SECOND DRAIN VALVE MEMBER FOR OPENING THE SAME AND FOR MOVING THE AUXILIARY VALVE TO A POSITION BLOCKING FLOW THROUGH SAID AUXILIARY PORT. 